


Case 190: The Adventure Of Tonto And The Loan Arranger (1901)

by Cerdic519



Series: Elementary 221B [244]
Category: Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms, Supernatural, The Lone Ranger - All Media Types
Genre: 221B Baker Street, Aging, Alternate Universe - Detectives, Alternate Universe - Edwardian, Casa Erotica (Supernatural), Destiel - Freeform, Exhaustion, Gay Sex, Jealousy, Johnlock - Freeform, London, M/M, Native American Character(s), Police, School, Theft, Untold Cases of Sherlock Holmes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-01
Updated: 2019-03-01
Packaged: 2019-11-04 08:07:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17894681
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cerdic519/pseuds/Cerdic519
Summary: ֍ Another face from the past returns to the dynamic duo's lives, and again they seek to ensure that a crime is stopped before it can happen. Not forgetting that the right people get all the credit, as well as getting rather more in this instance.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MelodyofWings](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MelodyofWings/gifts).



_[Narration by Mr. Sherlock Holmes, Esquire]_

My beloved John is the most wonderful of human beings, but like all of us he has his weaknesses. One, rather fortuitously, is his jealous nature which is particularly aroused every time my friend Lowen visits, something that always involves some angry growling and is always followed by some possessive love-making as he once more makes me his. A cynical person might suggest that I encourage the Cornishman to visit quite frequently but that would be most unfair. The last time he bought me a most interesting newspaper article on some fossils lately discovered in Dorsetshire, which was a most urgent matter. 

Yes it was!

John's other key character twist related to this was that he worried one reason I might lose interest in him was that he was two and a half years my senior, and in particular at the time of this story that he was fast approaching what the devious Mrs. Lindberg had called his 'forty-tenth birthday' (he had pouted so adorably at that; hopefully she had gotten far enough down the stairs not to hear the consequences of her words as he ha dproven very firmly that he still had it in him, or at least that I had him in me!). So the last thing he needed was a reminder of just how fast the years were passing.

But that was exactly what he got.

֍

We were returning to 221B from the bank where John had just deposited his latest cheque from his publishers. I silently loved the fact that my successes in solving crime had inadvertently made him financially secure and stopped at least one worry that I knew had dogged our earlier years together, even if I would have helped him if necessary (and covertly had on more than one occasion). And Mrs. Singer was baking pie today, so all in all he was looking very happy.

Until we reached the door to 221B to find two young gentlemen talking to Bobbie, one of the maids. Both were in their early twenties, the taller one blond, athletic and handsome and the shorter one darker, more muscular and clearly of foreign extraction, possibly Red Indian. The blond gentlemen saw us approaching and turned to greet us.

“Mr. Holmes and Doctor Watson!” he beamed.

We both looked at him in confusion. We did not know this gentleman from Adam! He chuckled.

“I know that time can change a fellow”, he said, “but you surely remember the upstart little schoolboy who brought you the case of 'The Copper Beeches'?”

Now I recognized him. Master – _Mr._ Clarence Legant, who had come to us over what had started as a case of arboreal vandalism and ended with the capture of a criminal and the recovery of their haul. And the criminal's 'execution' by his accomplice Professor Moriarty, against whom we had been barely months from our final encounter. That had to have been Ninety, some eleven years ago.”

I knew from the sudden fall in John's expression that he had worked that number out too. The passage of time was before us and full of the vigour of youth. My beloved would need at least two slices of pie to get over this, He would probably push for (and get) three.

“It is good to see you and your friend”, I smiled. “You must come in and tell us what brings you back to our door.”

We all four went inside. Mr. Singer emerged from his wife's rooms looking as sour as ever; at least some things in this world did not change.

“Thought I heard you”, he said gruffly. “Ellen said that that useless twit of a brother of yours was round earlier wanting to see you. The one with the slappable face, worse luck. Said he'd be back later.”

I groaned. We had gone so long without Bacchus, and absence had not made the heart grow the least bit fonder. But I had been hoping to continue testing that theory.

“You must be Mr. Singer”, Mr. Legant smiled. “I have read about you in the doctor's book. Are you enjoying the works of Mrs. Harwood?”

The old fellow stepped back in shock.

“That tripe?” he snorted. “Women's romance novels? I would never read such rubbish!”

“But you are reading it now”, Mr. Legant said.

“How do you.... I mean what makes you say that? Mr. Singer spluttered. 

Mr. Legant gestured to the book he was holding.

“My work-place has a small waiting-room”, he said, “and we have a variety of books for our customers. Mrs. Harwood's are quite unique in the small pink rose embedded along the side, as in the one you are holding this minute.”

Mr. Singer spluttered again and left us, quickly. I chuckled and led the way upstairs.

֍

“You did say that you always wanted to be a detective”, I recalled as we all sat down upstairs. I noted both that Mr. Legant's friend sat much closer than was socially acceptable and, more worryingly, that John was still more silent than usual, clearly depressed over the evidence of time's passing sat before us and that worried me. 

Mr. Legant smiled.

“I was fortunate in one aspect of that aim”, he said. “A rich uncle died and he knew of my interest in detective matters. He left me a small loans business in London which I have since successfully expanded. That is what you might call my 'proper job' but I do follow investigative matters in my spare time. And much of my actual work involves checks on the people that I might or might not lend to. Indeed it is that which has brought me here today, but first I had better introduce my silent friend.”

He turned to the other gentleman.

“This is Tommy”, he said, his voice now suddenly much more gentle. “My late uncle travelled a lot in what is now the western United States and died out there; Tommy brought his body back to England. He is from one of the native tribes out that way; I believe from what a friend of mine who knows such things that it may be the Comanche but he does not speak of his past. His full name is Tonto of the Silver Heels because he is such a fast runner. He speaks English perfectly and with no accent at all yet he rarely talks outside.....”

He placed his hand gently on that of the gentleman, who gave him a look of such adoring love that even I felt a tear in my eye. John obviously had a cold coming on as he reached for his handkerchief.

“Uncle Geoff asked that I take care of him”, Mr. Legant said quietly, “and I have sworn on the Good Book so to do until the end of my days. He is part of the reason that I am here today although I would not be parted from him even if it were not.”

He smiled again at his friend before continuing. 

“One of Tommy's greatest abilities is that he is able to render himself almost invisible to people”, he said. “I do not mean physically of course, but I have observed people chatting away to each other with him a few yards away and to then stop when they see me. That of course is most useful when I need to find out information for my business, for like you sir I have very quickly discovered that some people do not quite always tell one the whole truth.”

I smiled at his astute observation.

“We were down at a police station last week concerning a fraudulent claim by someone”, he said, “and as usual Tommy had slipped away from me. I did not like it but I knew that there was always the chance that he might overhear something interesting, and this time he did. One of the constables was talking to another and he observed a curious fact about three burglaries that had happened in North London of late. In all three cases the family who were targeted had a son at the same school, Harvey's Academy in Fitzrovia. Since my business is based on mathematical calculations I undertook some and worked out the likelihood of that occurring by chance to be approximately one in twelve thousand.”

“You believe that the school is somehow involved in these burglaries?” I asked. 

“I do”, he said.

“Why did the constables not approach their sergeant over this?” John spoke up at last. 

“The sergeant at the station is a particularly unpleasant specimen called Mr. Kenton Macdonat”, Mr. Legant frowned. “The constable being spoken to said he considered that his superior – I doubt that his name is actually meant to be pronounced 'MacDoughnut' - would think him less than intelligent for such a suggestion. That is not exactly how he put it but somehow my dear mother knows when I utter such words even when I use them on the other side of London, and we are going back to Gants Hill for dinner this very Sunday. She loves Tommy of course, the only time I have ever seen the fellow blush was when she said what handsome children we might have had together.”

(I have in fairness to give the Metropolitan Police Service some credit for once as the obnoxious Sergeant Macdonat had applied for promotion to inspector recently but had been passed over. Despite some of the dross among the lower ranks these days they were seemingly not quite _that_ desperate!).

“Coincidences can happen”, I said, “but like you I suspect that this is far from being one of them. I do not suppose you know the dates and/or places that these burglaries took place?”

“I am afraid not, sir.”

“I have several police contacts who can find that out”, I said. “And I dare say that I can get a list of boys at that illustrious academy and see which ones have been targeted and, more importantly, which ones are likely to be next.”

Tommy turned and looked fixedly at his friend, who stared back before sighing.

“Not now, Tommy”, he sighed. “We are not that far from the office. You will have to wait.”

“He can use the bathroom here”, I offered. Mr. Legant shook his head.

“It is not the bathroom that he wants”, he sighed. “It is the other. We had better go; the journey will be rough enough as it is.”

He may have been right, as Tommy was all over him as we said our farewells and Mr. Legant tried to walk down the stairs without falling over the fellow wrapped around him. I chuckled.

“The next generation”, I said. “I suppose us older ones must accept the inevitable and start to wind down, eh? I have to go out for a moment but I will not be long.”

He did not even acknowledge me, still lost in thought over our visitors. I smiled and left him.

֍

Sergeant Templar came round later that day to bring some information that I required about the case, but despite three slices of pie John's mood did not improve. I said nothing. I had my own ideas as to how the situation might be remedied.

֍

The following morning Miss Charlotta Bradbury came round with the information that I had requested of her. She groaned when she saw me.

“I know that look!” she sighed. “The smugness is right off the scale! Do you _have_ to be so damn obvious?”

“What?” I asked innocently. 

“The fact you look like the cat that got the cream and this place is minus one Doctor Watson, who I would wager is through that door still in bed. Or at least what is left of him.”

“Not much”, I grinned. “We had someone from an old case call round which was why I needed this information. He had a colleague who hales from one of the North American native tribes, and that gave me the idea to go to a certain store and pick up some war-paint.”

“Damnation, Sherlock!”

“I did not say where I _put_ the war-paint....”

“I have to sleep tonight!” she grumbled, “and now I shall have that image running through my brain. Ugh!”

At that perhaps less than timely moment the bedroom door opened and John staggered out in his dressing-gown (although on reflection our visitor might be glad he had remembered that much!). He crossed to the bathroom then went in and shut the door behind him, not seeming to notice either of us.

“All those stories about killing someone through sex”, she sighed. “Trust me to have to work with someone intent on proving it!”

I sniggered unashamedly.

֍


	2. Chapter 2

Fortunately John was in slightly better shape when Mr. Legant arrived with his companion later that day. And perhaps I could relate to Tommy even more; the financier looked almost as bad as John did, yawning while his silent companion looked all too smug. I was sure that I never looked like that after..... well, hardly ever. 

Not that often.

“Thankfully business is done for the day”, Mr. Legant said easing himself carefully down onto a chair. “The Loan Arranger can close the ranch.”

“Pardon?” I asked. He blushed.

“That is the name of my uncle's business”, he said. “The Loan Arranger. It is a little embarrassing but he wished for me to maintain it and it was the least that I could do. He even left me his Stetson and mask that he had; I have no idea why the latter but.... well, Tommy seems to like it.”

Tommy nestled closer to him as he spoke and Mr. Legant kissed his hair lightly. I thought fondly of my own Stetson which Mr. Blackwater had given me from our case assisting him; it was high time that it saw the light of day again.

Have you found out anything?” our visitor asked.

“Some things”, I said pulling myself away from several Very Happy Thoughts. “The most worrisome is that the three robberies had something else in common – they each took place on the night of a New Moon. And the next one of those is two days away.”

“What about likely targets?” Mr. Legant asked. Tommy leaned into him and he ruffled the fellow's long dark hair. 

“I have narrowed that down to six”, I said. “Harvey's Academy takes only the richest boys so my original list was over seventy, but I found that the three boys whose families were targeted did all have one other thing in common. The school allowed them to take two optional subjects in their final year and all three chose Medieval History. The six others on that course however all live in large homes, as I suppose does almost any family who can afford to send its sons there.”

I passed him the list and he read it, frowning. Then he passed it back to me.

“They will go for Lord Stanmore's house, 'Belmont'”, he said confidently.

“Why? I asked, perplexed.

“Because he is the only one to have something in common with the three victims thus far”, Mr. Legant said. “All four are Liberal Unionists.”

I silently cursed myself. Why had I not spotted that? Then I noticed that Tommy was pawing at Mr. Legant, who looked at him first in surprise and then shock.

“Oh come on!” he protested. “After last night _and_ the Stetson?”

Tommy pulled one of the saddest faces I had ever seen on any man or woman, as if his friend was the meanest mean person ever to be mean to some poor suffering friend of his. Mr. Legant sighed.

“I suppose that it is back to the office for us”, he said heavily. “I am beginning to think you had ulterior motives in getting me to buy that new couch, Tommy. You will inform us of developments, Mr. Holmes?”

“I will”, I said. “We have your address.”

“Assuming this one does not kill me through sexual exhaustion, I shall look forward to hearing from you. Tommy, if you trip me up going down the stairs _this_ time I could well end up in hospital, and I may be barred from sex for weeks.”

And the fellow had the Quivering Lip as well. A smart employer and a talented underling. They really were the future.

“It is wonderful the way he can look so pitiful”, I observed once they had gone. “I only hope that he does not abuse that power too often.”

John smiled at that for some strange reason.

֍

Fortunately all three burglaries had taken place in the small hours of the morning, so I could be fairly confident that _'Belmont'_ would be targeted in the next twenty-four hours. Unfortunately that was where my good luck ended. The place was on the obnoxious Sergeant Macdonat's 'patch' and I most certainly did not wish for him to get any credit from capturing the thieves in the act. 

After some thought I contacted Miss Bradbury again and arranged for one of her agents to deliver an anonymous tip-off to the sergeant's station that 'Kendal House', the house of one of the other parents that was not far from 'Belmont', was the intended target. Then I went round to see our friend Sergeant Templar. Note that I said _I_ went round; John was in no fit state to manage the stairs after what I had put him through last night. That Stetson seemed to bring out the devil in me! 

Sergeant Templar fully appreciated my wariness about intruding on another station's territory. Unfortunately the intelligence that we had on the burglars suggested that there had been at least six of them, so we would need a fair number of constables to catch them all. But I had an idea about that.....

֍

The following day was a Thursday and we arranged to meet Mr. Legant at his offices for a time before he opened. I had been gentle with John the night before and he was able to walk in a fairly straight line with only a slight limp. And the scowl when I had suggested a walking-stick that morning had been hilarious.

The same could not be said for poor Mr. Legant who looked terrible. And as for Tommy.... well. I said to John that I never looked that smug after..... things. I did not know why he rolled his eyes like that.

“He broke me!” Mr. Legant muttered as he lounged on the couch. “I thought he was after... you know, when he got me to ordered that huge swivel-chair along with the couch, but thank God he did. Even with that, sitting upright is going to be murder.

I smiled in sympathy. I did not as someone claimed later smirk that the coming generation did not have _that_ much energy!

“I have some excellent news”, I said. “You were right about 'Belmont' being the next target. The thieves went there last night and they have all been caught.”

Mr. Legant smiled, then winced as he sat up slightly too fast.

“I suppose the only downside is that that awful Sergeant Macdonat will get the credit”, he said.

“Actually no”, I said. “He and his men were out following what turned out to be a false lead. _Most_ unfortunate.”

The young fellow looked sharply at me. I nodded slowly.

“And someone tipped my friend Sergeant Templar that 'Kendal Place' was to be targeted”, I told him. “As you know, that is not far from Westbourne Park. While they were there one of them spotted movement from 'Belmont' across the park and they all went to investigate. They caught the villains red-handed.”

Mr. Legant looked dubious at that.

“Westbourne Park is a fair size”, he said. “The fellow must have had good eyesight to spot a light the other side of it, even at night.”

“Yes”, I said. “A most fortuitous coincidence that he had brought his binoculars along, was it not? Just not for the thieves. Or for Sergeant Macdonat for that matter.”

“Have they found how it was done yet, or is it too soon?” he asked, yawning.

“Very cleverly”, I said. “As part of their history course the boys at the school had to draw plans of their home and say how they would have been defended from a modern-day attack. The thieves thus had a full plan of each property complete with burglar alarms and escape routes. I have spoken with Lord Stanmore and informed him that you deserve credit for this.”

He smiled at me but before he could say anything Tommy pawed at him again. He looked across at his friend. I do not think I have ever seen anyone's face fall quite so far quite so fast.

“Ye Gods, _again?”_

And yes, there was the Quivering Lip right on schedule. I smiled and extracted a small jar from my pocket which I placed on the table.

“Aftercare unguent, courtesy of 'The House Of Eros' just down the road”, I smiled. “I have a feeling that you will soon be needing rather a lot of it.”

“I am beginning to think that he took my mother literally and is trying to get me pregnant!” Mr. Legant moaned. “Promise me that you will come to my funeral?”

“We shall see you around”, I smiled. “Or what is left of you. Take care!”

We left, being careful to ensure that the sign on the outer door still read 'Closed'. Even through the door we heard a moan, then a slamming door as Tommy took his prize into the more distant office.

“The coming generation”, I chuckled. “Quite literally in Mr. Legant's case!”

My perfectly accurate observation did not merit _that_ much of an eye-roll! Besides, there were always Consequences when someone did that.....

֍


End file.
